EVER SINCE the law of Copernicus was discovered and proved, the mere¹ recognition that not the sun, but the earth moves, has destroyed the whole cosmography of the ancients. By disproving the law, it might have been possible to retain the old conception of the movements of the heavenly bodies; but without disproving it, it would seem to be impossible to continue studying the Ptolemaic worlds. But as a fact even after the discovery of the law of Copernicus, the Ptolemaic worlds long continued to be a subject of study.

Ever since the first person said and proved that the number of births or crimes is subject to mathematical laws, that certain geographical² and politico-economical laws determine this or that form of government, that certain relations of the population to the soil lead to migrations³ of peoples—from that moment the foundations on which history was built were destroyed in their essence.

By disproving those new laws, the old view of history might have been retained. But without disproving them, it would seem impossible to continue studying historical events, merely as the arbitrary product of the free will of individual men. For if a certain type of government is established, or a certain movement of peoples takes place in consequence of certain geographical, ethnographical, or economic conditions, the free will of those persons who are described to us as setting up that type of government or leading that movement cannot be regarded as the cause.

And yet history goes on being studied as of old, side by side with laws of statistics, of geography, of political economy, of comparative philology⁴ and geology, that flatly contradict its assumptions.

The struggle between the new views and the old was long and stubborn in physical philosophy. Theology stood on guard over the old view, and accused the new view of violating revelation. But when truth gained the day, theology established itself as firmly as ever on a new basis.

As long and as obstinate⁵ is the conflict to-day between the old and the new view of history; and in the same way theology stands on guard over the old view, and accuses the new of attacking revelation.

In both cases on both sides, the struggle rouses evil passions and

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1 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 geographical
adj.地理的；地区(性)的
参考例句：
The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。 These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

3 migrations
n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 )
参考例句：
It foundered during the turmoils accompanying the Great Migrations. 它在随着民族大迁徙而出现的混乱中崩溃。 来自辞典例句 Birds also have built-in timepieces which send them off on fall and spring migrations. 鸟类也有天生的时间感应器指导它们秋春迁移。 来自互联网

4 philology
n.语言学；语文学
参考例句：
Philology would never be of much use to you.语文学对你不会有很大用途。 In west,the philology is attached to the linguistics.在西方，文语文学则附属于语言学。

5 obstinate
adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的
参考例句：
She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。 The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。

6 stifles
（使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的第三人称单数 )； 镇压，遏制
参考例句：
This stifles the development of the financial sector. 这就遏制了金融部门的发展。 The fruits of such a system are a glittering consumer society which stifles creativity and individuality. 这种制度的结果就是一个压制创造性和个性的闪光的消费者社会。

7 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

8 demolishing
v.摧毁( demolish的现在分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光
参考例句：
The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings. 这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。 来自《用法词典》 Conventional demolishing work would have caused considerable interruptions in traffic. 如果采用一般的拆除方法就要引起交通的严重中断。 来自辞典例句

9 edifice
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室)
参考例句：
The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。 There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。

10 firmament
n.苍穹；最高层
参考例句：
There are no stars in the firmament.天空没有一颗星星。 He was rich,and a rising star in the political firmament.他十分富有，并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。

11 nun
n.修女，尼姑
参考例句：
I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。 She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

12 edifices
n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句 Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句

13 phenomena
n.现象
参考例句：
Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。 The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

14 dependence
n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属
参考例句：
Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。 He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

15 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

16 surmount
vt.克服；置于…顶上
参考例句：
We have many problems to surmount before we can start the project.我们得克服许多困难才能著手做这项工作。 We are fully confident that we can surmount these difficulties.我们完全相信我们能够克服这些困难。

17 surmounting
战胜( surmount的现在分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上
参考例句：
Surmounting the risks and fears of some may be difficult. 解除某些人的疑虑可能是困难的。 There was high French-like land in one corner, and a tumble-down grey lighthouse surmounting it. 一角画着一块像是法国风光的高地，上面有一座破烂的灰色灯塔。

18 absurdity
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。 The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。